Ignition system for warhead

ABSTRACT

An ignition system, for the simultaneous ignition of several charges arranged in different cross-sectional planes of an elongated warhead and extending perpendicular to the longitudinal center line of the warhead, includes a rod displaceable along the longitudinal center line, relative to the cross-sectional planes, and having two possible positions spaced longitudinally from each other. The rod has, at locations therealong, and in crosssectional planes corresponding to the cross-sectional planes of the warheads, devices operable to ignite the charges. The corresponding cross-sectional planes of the warhead and the rod coincide in one of the two possible positions of the head. These two positions can be termed, respectively, the &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;ignition locked&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; position and the &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;ignition released&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; position.

mite tet 1 1 1,769 Head 1451 Mar. 28, 11972 [54] IGNIITHQN SYSTEM FORWARHEAD 2,915,013 12/1959 Moorhead,.lr. ..102/70.2

[72] Inventor: Manfred Held, Pottmes, Germany Primary EXaminer BenJ-aminA Borcheh [73] Assignee: Messersclhmitt-Bolkow-Blohm Gesellschaft148813111"!EXamiIwF-TlwmaSH Webb mit beschrankter Haftung, Munich.A"0me)iMcGleW and Germany [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Oct. 113, 1969 Anignition system, for the simultaneous ignition of several [21 i PP865,888 charges arranged in different cross-sectional planes of anelongated warhead and extending perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline of the warhead, includes a rod displuccublc [30] Forum] ApplicationPriority Dam along the longitudinal center line. relative to thccross-scc- Oct. 16, 1968 Germany ..P 18 05 467.6 tional planes, andhnving two possible positions space d loni 7' V gitudinally from eachother. The rod has. at locations 52 11.5. c1. ..102/70.2 A, 102/2115therealons. and in cross-scctional planes corresponding to the 15 11111. C1 ..F42c 11/04, F42c 15/40, F421: 19/06 Cross-Sectional Planesofthe warheads. devicss operable 1;- [58] Field of Search ..102/70.2,18,68 the charges The Corresponding Cross-Sectional Planes of thewarhead and the rod coincide in one of the two possible [56] ReferencesCited positions of the head. These two positions can be termed,respectively, the ignition locked" position and the ignition UNITEDSTATES PATENTS released" Position- 3,094,932 6/1963 Greenlees 102/702 19 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMARZS I972 3,651,760

SHEE U?" 3 Fig.8 5 l 5 I l 2302 i i I INVENTOR Man fre [d we a ATORNIGNITION SYSTEM FOR WARHEAD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A proposedwarhead has hollow charges distributed in different cross-sectionalplanes of the warhead, substantially uniformly over the circumference ofthe warhead. Thereby there is achieved a fragmenting effect distributedsubstantially uniformly in all directions, during the simultaneousignition of all the charges inside a warhead, with the high piercingeffect caused by the hollow charges. An important problem of thesewarheads is the accurate simultaneous ignition of all the charges.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an ignition systemfor the simultaneous ignition of several charges arranged in differentcrosssectional planes of an elongated warhead, the planes extendingperpendicularly to the longitudinal axis. More particularly, theinvention relates to a simplified ignition system in which a principalelement has an ignition locked position and an ignition releasedposition.

The objective of the invention is to provide an ignition system for thesimultaneous ignition of such warheads, and which is simple in design,safe in operation, and offers the simple possibility of locking theignition system before use of the warhead and of unlocking it when thewarhead is used. In accordance with the invention, a rod is providedwhich may be displaced along the longitudinal axis of the warheadrelative to the cross-sectional planes, the rod being displaceablebetween two possible positions. This rod has devices, in correspondingcross-sectional planes, effecting the ignition of the charges. Thecrosssectional planes of the warhead coincide with the correspondingcross-sectional planes of the rod in only one of the two possiblepositions of the rod.

By using such simply designed moving rod, it is possible to bringdevices, arranged inside the rod, from a position of the rod where theignition system is locked, by displacing the rod into its otherposition, where the ignition system is released, exactly into thecross-sectional planes of the warhead which contain the various chargesofthe warhead to be primed.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the devicesarranged in the rod are electric detonators all of which detonatesimultaneously at the time of the ignition. These electric detonatorsprime pyrotechnically, with the ignition system released, the charges ofthe warhead arranged in the same cross-sectional planes, and hencedirectly adjoining the detonators.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the electricelements necessary for transmitting electric ignition energy are soarranged in the rod that a transmission of the ignition energy, by meansof inductive coupling of windings in the rod and windings in thesurrounding warhead, is possible only in the released position of therod with respect to the warhead. This arrangement has the effect, on theone hand, that the electric detonators in the rod are connected witheach other and also with the necessary electric elements through optimumshort lines, so that only minimum line inductances occur. On the otherhand, an additional electric locking of the ignition system is effectedin the locked position ofthe rod.

It will be appreciated that embodiments of the warhead can also have theelectric detonators arranged stationary next to the charges ofthewarhead, and only the electric elements, for example, the transformerwindings, are displaced by means of the rod with respect to the warheadfrom a locked position into an unlocked position.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved ignition system forthe simultaneous ignition of all of the charges ofan elongated warhead.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an ignition systemwhich is simple in design, safe in operation, and provides for lockingof the ignition system before use of the warhead and unlocking theignition system when the warhead is used.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an ignition systemincluding a rod movable between two positions, and carrying devices foreffecting ignition of the charges in the warhead.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an ignition system inwhich ignition can be effected only in one of two possible positions ofthe rod and the ignition system is locked in the other of the twopossible positions of the rod.

For an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference ismade to the following description of typical embodiments thereof asillustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are longitudinal sectional views ofa warhead having anignition system including electric detonators arranged i'n'the rod; I I7' FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are longitudinal sectional views illustratingdifferent arrangements of the detonators in the rod;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a different designof the warhead surrounding the rod; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are schematic wiring diagrams illustrating an embodimentof the invention including electric elements arranged in the rod.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate,diagrammatically, the inner part of the warhead which is not representedtherein in full detail. The warhead consists, substantially, of theexplosive material 10 and of coverings, which have not been shown,arranged on its surface in different planes or zones. A rod 1 extendsalong the longitudinal axis or center line of the warhead and carrieselectric detonators 2 in different cross-sectional planes. Only two ofthese detonators have been illustrated, for the sake of simplicity, andthese are connected, in a manner not specifically illustrated, with anignition circuit over an electric line 200. The particular ignitioncircuit, supplying the ignition energy, has not been illustrated asthese are known to the art.

Electric detonators 2 are covered with a shock-wave absorbing material3. Rod 1 is surrounded by a sleeve 5 forming part of the warhead, andsleeve 5 consists substantially of a shock-wave absorbing material 4which is interrupted in the different cross-sectional planes of thewarhead by transmission charges 6 which thus adjoin directly theexplosive charge proper 10 of the warhead.

In FIG. 1, the ignition system embodying the invention is illustrated inits locked position, in which rod 1 is in one of its two possiblepositions with respect to the warhead. In this position, electricdetonators 2 are displaced longitudinally relative to the transmissioncharges 6, by a sufficient longitudinal spacing. If, due to anunforeseen incident, electric detonators 2 should be released in thislocked position of rod 2, the warhead itself cannot be detonated becausethe shockwaves, originating from the electric detonators 2, are absorbedby the absorbent material 3 directly surrounding the electric detonators2 and by the additional absorbent material 4 of sleeve 5, adjoiningmaterial 3 in such locked position. Thus the detonators cannot prime thetransmission charges 6 so that explosive charge 10 of the warhead cannotbe ignited.

However, if rod I is moved into the unlocked position of the warhead,shown in FIG. 2, and which may be termed the ignition released position,electric detonators 2 occupy the same cross-sectional planes as therespective transmission charges 6 and thus prime transmission charges 6to ignite explosive charge 10 despite the surrounding absorbentmaterial, when an ignition impulse, releasing the detonators 2, appears.Since the electric transit times between the individual detonators 2lie, in the unlocked position shown in FIG. 2, directly in the planescontaining the transmission charges 6, an ignition of explosive charge10 occurs substantially simultaneously in the different cross-sectionalplanes of the warhead. Thereby the coverings, which have not been shown,arranged in these different crossnsectional planes, for example on theshell of the warhead, are broken off or fragmented simultaneously.

If detonators 2 develop only a relatively weak shock-wave upon release,the absorbent material 3 surrounding the detonators must be replaced bya reinforcing charge 7 inside rod 1, as shown in FIG. 3, so that asatisfactory priming of transmission charges 6 adjoining, in therespective cross-sectional planes, is insured.

Reinforcing charge 7 also can be arranged, if desired, in the mannershown in FIG. 4 and directly behind the electric detonators 2 inside rod1.

If only weak electric ignition elements 8 are used instead of anelectric detonator, as shown in FIG. 5, a flame detonator 9 must beassociated with the respective electric detonators. These flamedetonators transmit the weak energy, given off by ignition element 8, toreinforcing charges 7.

In order to accommodate a maximum amount of explosive 10 in a warhead,it is possible, as shown in FIG. 6, to fill the space between thetransmission charges 6 and the absorbent material 4 inside sleeve 5 ofthe warhead with additional ringshaped explosive charges 11. In thisembodiment of the invention, the diameter of sleeve 5 can be madecorrespondingly greater, so that greater safety thicknesses are possibleat the same time for the absorbent material 4 without the entire weightof the explosive charge of the warhead being reduced in an undesirablemanner.

Since there are usually large spacings between electric detonators 2inside rod 1, this space can be used for the electric elements necessaryfor ignition of detonators 2. For the ignition of commercial electricdetonators there are required, for example, for a simultaneous response,voltages of about 600 V with a discharge capacity of 2 m F. The lengthof the line between the condensers and the electric detonators should beas short as possible in order to obtain low inductances in the ignitioncircuit and thus steep electric pulses.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, most of theelectric elements required for the ignition circuit are arranged insiderod 1 itself. FIGS. 7 and 8 show an ignition circuit arranged in rod 1and comprising a charging condenser 21, an overvoltage arrester andelectric detonators 2. The charging voltage required for the condenseris supplied to the ignition circuit from a voltage source, which has notbeen shown, by inductance and through transformers, whose primarywindings 22c and 22d are arranged in the ignition circuit proper inrod 1. The transformer windings between rod 1 and sleeve 5 of thewarhead, are divided into two oppositely wound parts 22a and 22b, and22c and 22d, respectively, so that an alternating feed, superposed onthe entire rod, cannot result in the appearance of a voltage at theoutput of windings 22a and 22b.

Windings 22a and 22b are arranged at such a spacing from each other thatthey are surrounded, in the position of rod 1 represented in FIG. 7, byelectrically conductive shields 23a and 23b. These shields may comprise,for example, copper or mu-metal bands. If rod 1 is now moved into theunlocked position shown in FIG. 8, windings 22a and 22b of rod 1 andwindings 22c and 22d of the warhead are in the same crosssectionalplanes, and voltage can be transmitted to the ignition circuit arrangedin rod 1. The ignition pulse for the response ofthe overvoltage arrester25 is transmitted through the medium of second transformer coilscomposed, in a similar manner, of four parts 24a, 24b, 24c and 24d.

In the locked position of the ignition system shown in FIG. 7, not onlycan ignition condenser 21 not be charged through transformer coils 22,but also an ignition impulse cannot be transmitted to transformer coils24, since the shields 23a 23d of sleeve 5, opposite windings 22a and 22bas well as opposite windings 24a and 24b are arranged in rod I as shortcircuit windings.

However, if rod 1 is moved into the unlocked position shown in FIG. 8,the windings of rod 1 are arranged opposite the corresponding windingsof sleeve 5 of the warhead. An alternating voltage 26 on the primaryside of transformer coils 22 transmits a voltage to the secondary side,which charges condenser 21 in rod 1 through a rectifier 27. This charge,imparted to condenser 21, is not by itself sufficiently high to bringabout a response of overvoltage arrester 25 connected in series withdetonators 2. By an additional current surge to the primary side oftransformer coils 24, a voltage peak is superposed on the chargingvoltage of the condenser, and this ignites the overvoltage arrester.

A diode 28, connected in parallel with windings 24a and 24b, preventscollapse of the charging voltage of condenser 21 before a sufficientignition current reaches detonators 2. During the ignition ofovervoltage arrester 25, condenser 211 is discharged through diode 28and the series-connected electric detonators 2 with a very steep currentrise, thus releasing detonators 2.

Due to the arrangement of the electric elements necessary for ignitionin rod 1, it is possible to obtain very short, and thus low-inductance,lines, which permit a steep current rise for the rapid simultaneousresponse of the low-ohmic electric detonators.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed to illustrate the application of the principles of theinvention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. An ignition system, for the simultaneous ignition of several chargesarranged in respective different longitudinally spaced cross-sectionalplanes of an elongated warhead and extending perpendicular to thelongitudinal center line of the warhead, said ignition systemcomprising, in combination, a rod of combustible material displaceablealong the longitudinal center line of the warhead, relative to saidcross-sectional planes, and having two possible positions; aid rodhaving, at locations therealong, in cross-sectional planes correspondingto said cross-sectional planes of said warhead, devices operable toignite said charges; the corresponding cross-sectional planes of saidwarhead and said rod coinciding in one of said two possible positionsofsaid rod.

2. An ignition system, as claimed in claim 1, in which said devices areelectric detonators.

3. An ignition system, as claimed in claim 1, in which said devices areelectric elements operable to transmit electric ignition energy.

4. An ignition system, for the simultaneous ignition of several chargesarranged in respective different cross-sectional planes of an elongatedwarhead and extending perpendicular to the longitudinal center line ofthe warhead, said ignition system comprising, in combination, a rod ofcombusti ble material displaceable along the longitudinal center line ofthe warhead, relative to said cross-sectional planes, and having twopossible positions; said rod having, at locations therealong, incross-sectional planes corresponding to said cross-sectional planes ofsaid warhead, devices operable to ignite said charges; the correspondingcross-sectional planes of said warhead and said rod coinciding in one ofsaid two possible positions of said rod; said devices being transformercoils operable to supply ignition energy to an ignition circuit arrangedin said rod.

5. An ignition system, as claimed in claim 2, including transmissioncharges arranged in said cross-sectional planes of said warhead; saidwarhead including a main explosive charge; and an absorbent materialadjacent said main explosive charge in regions between said transmissioncharges 6. In ignition system, as claimed in claim 2, including anabsorbent material surrounding said electric detonators in said rod.

7. An ignition system, as claimed in claim 2, including reinforcingcharges in said rod adjacent said electric detonators.

8. An ignition system, as claimed in claim 2, including flame detonatorseach operatively associated with an electric detonator.

M73 1mm) niss

1. An ignition system, for the simultaneous ignition of several chargesarranged in respective different longitudinally spaced cross-sectionalplanes of an elongated warhead and extending perpendicular to thelongitudinal center line of the warhead, said ignition systemcomprising, in combination, a rod of combustible material displaceablealong the longitudinal center line of the warhead, relative to saidcross-sectional planes, and having two possible positions; aid rodhaving, at locations therealong, in cross-sectional planes correspondingto said cross-sectional planes of said warhead, devices operable toignite said charges; the corresponding cross-sectional planes of saidwarhead and said rod coinciding in one of said two possible positions ofsaid rod.
 2. An ignition system, as claimed in claim 1, in which saiddeVices are electric detonators.
 3. An ignition system, as claimed inclaim 1, in which said devices are electric elements operable totransmit electric ignition energy.
 4. An ignition system, for thesimultaneous ignition of several charges arranged in respectivedifferent cross-sectional planes of an elongated warhead and extendingperpendicular to the longitudinal center line of the warhead, saidignition system comprising, in combination, a rod of combustiblematerial displaceable along the longitudinal center line of the warhead,relative to said cross-sectional planes, and having two possiblepositions; said rod having, at locations therealong, in cross-sectionalplanes corresponding to said cross-sectional planes of said warhead,devices operable to ignite said charges; the correspondingcross-sectional planes of said warhead and said rod coinciding in one ofsaid two possible positions of said rod; said devices being transformercoils operable to supply ignition energy to an ignition circuit arrangedin said rod.
 5. An ignition system, as claimed in claim 2, includingtransmission charges arranged in said cross-sectional planes of saidwarhead; said warhead including a main explosive charge; and anabsorbent material adjacent said main explosive charge in regionsbetween said transmission charges
 6. In ignition system, as claimed inclaim 2, including an absorbent material surrounding said electricdetonators in said rod.
 7. An ignition system, as claimed in claim 2,including reinforcing charges in said rod adjacent said electricdetonators.
 8. An ignition system, as claimed in claim 2, includingflame detonators each operatively associated with an electric detonator.9. An ignition system, as claimed in claim 5, including annularexplosive charges surrounding said rod between said transmissioncharges.